Location
Study task
Grammar + speaking
Suggested time: ~25 min
Original references (rebuilt here)
Talking About Location
あります/います, position words, and the こそあど demonstratives — everything you need to say where things are.
あります vs います
います — living things that move (people, animals). あります — everything else (objects, plants, events, buildings). Pattern: [place] に [thing] が あります/います. Or, topic-first: [thing] は [place] に あります/います.
Position words (+ の)
| Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 上 | on / above |
| 下 | under / below |
| 中 | inside |
| 外 | outside |
| 前 | in front of |
| 後ろ | behind |
| となり | next to (same category) |
| そば・近く | near |
| 間 | between (A と B の間) |
こそあど
こ = near me · そ = near you · あ = away from both · ど = which? thing: これ/それ/あれ/どれ + noun: この/その/あの/どの 本[ほん] place: ここ/そこ/あそこ/どこ direction (polite): こちら/そちら/あちら/どちら
机の 上に 財布が あります。
There's a wallet on the desk.
銀行は コンビニと 郵便局の 間に あります。
The bank is between the convenience store and the post office.
教室の 中に 学生が 3人 います。
There are three students inside the classroom.
すみません、トイレは どこですか。 — あそこです。
Excuse me, where is the toilet? — Over there.
Use に (not で) with あります/います — it's about existence, not action. 公園[こうえん]で 遊[あそ]びます (action) vs 公園に います (location).
Exercises
Complete the sentence
There are taxis in front of the station.
駅の 前に タクシー います。
Say each answer out loud before checking.
あります or います?
庭に 犬が ___。
"There is a dog in the garden."
Build it
The hospital is behind the station.
Your progress
Saved ✓0/8 · 0/3 exercises done
- Complete the sentencenot started
- あります or います?not started
- Build itnot started